Team picked to lead regeneration of waterfront site in Liverpool

Liverpool City Council has announced a new team to lead the regeneration of nearly eight acres of waterfront land on Kings Dock.

Engineering consultancy Faithful+Gould have been chosen to be project managers, while architectural firm BDP will lead the design of the seven-plot project.

The council is looking for residential buildings to join the mixed-use site, with a focus on sustainability and opportunities for a ‘major cultural and/or leisure venue.’

A £1m loan from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will go towards the scheme, with plans for this to be repaid through proceeds from King’s Dock site sales.

Cllr Sarah Doyle, Cabinet Member for Development and Economy, said: ‘This site marks the final chapter in the regeneration of the King’s Dock site and as such is a unique opportunity for Liverpool to create a world-leading waterfront development, rooted in quality and defined by sustainability.

‘I’m delighted we’ve appointed such a talented and experienced team to deliver this first phase in this development. There is a huge amount of work to be done and it needs to be carefully plotted out with the full engagement of local residents and stakeholders.’

News of the regeneration project comes 15 years after the M&S Bank Arena launched to mark Liverpool’s year as the European Capital of Culture. The team behind the venue have since received rewards for their work regenerating a brownfield site.

The 11,000-seat capacity arena is set to host Eurovision 2023 in May, while King’s Dock now also features a convention centre, the Exhibition Centre Liverpool, a multi storey car park, 1800 residential housing units and three hotels.

Doyle added: ‘Given the success to date of Kings Dock, the bar is already very high to deliver something truly significant, that will sustain our economy and environment for decades to come and it marks the start of a new chapter in brownfield regeneration.’

As part of the two-year process, the Kings Dock Development Team will investigate and review all existing surveys of the site and create a masterplan and development programme.

Consultations with locals and stakeholders are also in the works before planning permission will be granted, while the team is also set to reach out to investors.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: ‘Liverpool’s waterfront is already one of our region’s most iconic landmarks – and the council’s ambitious plans to expand King’s Dock are testament to the strong appetite and growth the city is seeing in its recovery. It’s why we’ve invested £1m into its expansion, to ensure that it can continue to grow, create new jobs and strengthen our economy, hopefully acting as a catalyst for further investment in the area. I can’t wait to see the masterplan take shape – to see the next chapter in this area’s story.’

Photo by Josie Jean